The Flaky Friends Club
by monkeyface52
Summary: Sam/Emily oneshot fluff


A knock on the front door woke Sam. Rubbing his face, he looked down at his watch. 8:10? Had he really only put Marti to bed ten minutes ago? And was he still stuck at the Venturi's for another four hours?

Standing up and shaking his head, Sam made his way to the door.

"Emily?" he said, surprised to see her standing at the door. With a smile she held up a plastic grocery sack.

"I brought reinforcements!"

"What are you doing here?" he asked, stepping aside so she could come in.

"Casey and I were _supposed_ to go see a movie but, when we got there, she got a text from Max. Long story short, she ditched me for her boyfriend." Following Emily as she sat on the couch, Sam took the bag from her hand and looked inside. "She told me that you guys were baby sitting Marti, so I thought I'd come keep you company."

"Mint Chocolate Chip! My favorite!"

"I know," Emily said, laughing lightly.

"So, you're joining the Flaky Friend Club."

"Huh?"

"Derek and I were supposed to have a Kung-Foo Marathon tonight but he backed out at the last minute because he got a date with that French exchange student. So, being the good friend _I_ am, I offered to stay here and watch Marti so he could go…uh, practice his French." Sam laughed at his own lame joke and Emily just shook her head.

"So we both got ditched, huh?"

"Looks like it. But," Sam held up the ice cream carton with a smile, "this makes it all worth while."

"I'll go get the spoons," Emily laughed.

After re-situating themselves on the couch to accommodate their ice cream and popcorn bowls, Sam put on one of the movies he and Derek were supposed to watch.

"I've never watched a Kung-Foo movie before."

"They totally rock. But you kind have to be in the right mindset."

"What do you mean?"

"Just wait – you'll see." And Emily did see. About five minutes into the movie, she realized it was just a bunch of ridiculous fighting set to strange sound effects and dubbed by voices that were so unreal it was funny.

She laughed so hard at one point, she started choking on some popcorn and Sam had to slap her several times on the back. It didn't help much either that he was making sarcastic comments the whole time, moving his lips like he was one of the bad actors.

By the end of the movie, Emily was crying from laughing so hard and Sam's face was red.

"I don't think I can handle another one of those," she gasped, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Well, you're a lot more fun to watch it with than Derek. He considers this fine cinema and throws me dirty looks every time I make a joke."

"Please tell me you're kidding," Emily groaned, gathering up their bowls and taking them into the kitchen.

"I wish. He seriously has the worst taste in movies of anyone I know," Sam assured her, following her into the kitchen.

"It was a nice change of pace for me. All Casey ever wants to watch is sappy chick flicks. I swear, if I see her tear up at the end of one more movie when the guy and girl _finally_ get together, I might just throw up."

"I know! And how she won't let you say _anything_ during the movie…even if she's seen it a million times," Sam laughed.

"Which she has." Emily paused, then leaned against the counter. "Sometime I forget that the two of you dated. I always thought it was kind of weird."

Sam took a step back and crossed his arms – not upset, just curious. "Weird? Why? Because she's my best friend's step-sister?"

"No. It's just…you're Sam, that's all. I've known you forever. It was kind of like her dating my brother."

Rolling his eyes and letting out a groan, Sam turned and headed back into the living room.

"What? What did I say?" Emily asked, racing after him.

"Emily, don't you know that's the one thing in the world a guy never wants to hear?" Sam flopped onto the couch and pretended to act offended, though he was fighting back a smile.

"Oh, right. Like you've never said the same thing about me," she said, slapping him playfully on the arm.

"That's different. A guy says that about a girl when he doesn't want anyone to know how he really feels. Girls say that about guys when it's really how they _do_ feel."

"That doesn't make sense," Emily laughed. "Derek says it about me all the time."

"Derek is the exception," Sam said without really thinking. When he glanced over at Emily, though, he could tell the words hurt her. "Em, I didn't mean—"

"It's okay, Sam," she interrupted, giving him a sad smile. "You aren't telling me anything I didn't know already. I know Derek never has been or ever will be interested. And I'm totally over him. It's just…girls don't really like hearing the whole 'you're like a sister to me' thing either."

"Em, I'm going to tell you something I never have because, well, it didn't seem right with me being Derek's best friend."

Emily's face showed her concern. "What is it?"

"You are _way_ too good for him."

Emily rolled her eyes and shook her head, smiling once again. "Whatever, Sam. Casey says that all the time."

"But you know you can believe me," Sam insisted, leaning toward her to show he was serious. "Casey says it because she thinks Derek is a jerk and he's her brother. But I'm his best friend."

"So why do _you_ think it Mr. Smarty Pants?"

"Because I've seen Derek when he's with girls. He's rude and thoughtless and they put up with it because they're ditzy and mindless. Haven't you ever wondered why he's always with the same kind of girls?"

Emily shrugged. "I just figured he always went for the pretty ones."

"Believe me, that's _not_ why he didn't go for you." Emily looked over at Sam and smiled.

"Sam, I think you just gave me a compliment."

Sam sat back and let out a laugh even as he felt his face heating up. He did kind of just tell her he thought she was pretty. And it wasn't that he didn't. He'd always thought Emily was pretty cute. He just didn't think _she_ needed to know that.

"Whatever. Anyway, all I'm saying is that you are way too nice and smart and cool to be with a guy like Derek. You would have been miserable."

"Thanks, Sam. Seriously. That means a lot, coming from you."

"But it's not an issue any more since you're over him, right?" Sam smiled.

"_Totally_ over him. Ten years of un-returned feelings kind of have a way of doing that to you," Emily laughed.

"Hey, can I ask you something? And, if you don't want to answer, I totally understand."

Emily leaned back on the couch so she was facing him and propped her head up on her hand. "Go ahead."

"You liked Derek for ten years, right?"

"I think everyone in the world knows that."

"Right. Well, didn't we meet at the same time?"

"Is that your big question?"

Sam chuckled and ran his hand through his shaggy blond hair. He didn't know why he was even asking her this. Is was just something he'd always kind of wondered. "No, I guess what I'm trying to ask is…why Derek? I mean, we've known each other for as long as you and Derek have. Why him?" As soon as the question was out of his mouth, Sam felt stupid for asking it. He couldn't even bring himself to look at Emily so he just stared down at his hands. Much to his surprise, she laughed lightly.

"I can't believe you just asked me that."

"I know, it's stupid. Just forget—"

"No, that's not why I can't believe it." She was silent for a minute and Sam ventured a glance over at her. She was biting her lip and trying not to smile. "It's just…I don't know, I guess I did kind of have a crush on you too."

"Really?" he asked, his eyes lighting up.

"Yeah. I mean, Derek has always been the loud crazy one and certainly gets all the attention. But you've always been so nice and everything." Emily shrugged and looked away, but Sam noticed a slight pink in her cheeks. "To tell you the truth, I always thought you kind of didn't like me."

"What? Why would you think that?'

"You were always so quiet around me! And, whenever I _did_ try and get you to talk, you'd mumble, like, two or three words and never even look me in the eye."

"That wasn't because I _didn't_ like you. It's because I _did_ like you," he told her, surprised by his own honesty. Emily looked surprised as well.

"You did? How come you never told me?"

"You had a crush on my best friend, remember?"

"Right," Emily said, blushing again. They sat in silence for a minute, each feeling slightly awkward and embarrassed and each with a silly grin on their face.

"So, you really thought I was like a brother, huh?" Sam asked, breaking the silence and making Emily laugh.

"I never really thought that. I guess I was just a little jealous of Casey, that's all."

"That's funny. I was always kind of jealous of Derek because you liked him so much."

"Well, I don't anymore," she said, looking over at Sam and giving him a sweet smile.

"And I don't like Casey anymore either." He smiled as he watched her bite her lip again. Pulse racing, Sam scooted over closer to Emily. He couldn't have been happier when she didn't move away. "You know, I'm kind of glad Derek flaked out on me tonight."

"And I guess Casey flaking out on me wasn't so bad." He moved closer still and, this time, Emily moved forward as well.

"So, if I were to, I don't know, kiss you or something - you wouldn't feel like it was your brother?"

"Hmm...I guess there's only way to find that out." Sam smiled as he leaned in close to Emily. She closed her eyes and tilted her face towards his...

"Get a room," Derek groaned as he walked up to his porch to find his step-sister and her boyfriend kissing. Max pulled back from Casey and laughed but she threw Derek a look that could kill.

"Do you have to ruin _every_ moment of my life?"

"I try," Derek shrugged with a smug smile.

"See you, Case," Max laughed, giving Casey a peck on the cheek and walking back to his car. Casey watched him go, then turned her attention back to Derek.

"I thought you and Sam were babysitting Marti tonight."

"I got a date with that hot exchange student, Fiona. I think I might ask her to be my French tutor." Derek rubbed his hands together excitedly and Casey rolled her eyes.

"So you ditched your best friend? How typical."

"Me? Weren't you and Emily supposed to be going to a movie tonight?" Derek asked, that smug smile back on his face.

Casey's eyes grew wide. "T-That was different," Casey stammered, holding her chin up high and crossing her arms.

"Oh, right. I'm sure Emily is all to happy, spending another Saturday by herself while you're making out with your boyfriend."

"Grow up, Derek. Emily's fine," Casey sighed, turning around and opening the door. They both took one step inside and froze. Sam and Emily were making out on their couch.

"You're right. She's fine," Derek whispered to Casey, his face just as shocked as hers.

"Emily!?" Casey exclaimed. Sam and Emily jerked apart, looking at their friends with the same shocked expression.

"Casey! Hey!" Emily said in a high voice, a guilty smile on her face.

"What are you _doing_?"

Emily looked over at Sam and he smiled at her. She turned back to Casey and began biting her lip. "Um…babysitting?"

"Yeah," Sam said, draping his arm around Emily's shoulder. "You guys can flake out on us any time."


End file.
